Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Dentifrices – Oxygen or chlorine releasing compound containing
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-27
2002-12-31
Rose, Shep K. (Department: 1614)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Dentifrices
Oxygen or chlorine releasing compound containing
C424S613000, C424S616000, C433S089000, C433S090000, C433S215000, C433S216000, C433S217100, C433S228100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06500408
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of dental bleaches and dental bleaching. More particularly, the invention relates to viscous dental bleaches which may be placed into a tray or otherwise held against a patient's teeth in order to cause a lightening, whitening and stain removal effect without damaging the enamel of the patient's teeth.
B. Description of Related Art
The ability to whiten both vital and non-vital teeth with peroxides has been known for well over 40 years. By nature, the human race is very diversified genetically as to tooth shape and color. The color of teeth within the human race usually ranges from whites, blacks, greys, browns and yellows. Environment, nutrition, medication and diet can affect tooth color. Some foods such as blueberries, cranberries, coffee and tea can significantly alter a persons tooth color from its original state. Other habits like smoking or chewing of tobacco can darken a person's teeth over a period of time. Tetracycline and other medications can have a darkening or graying effect on teeth. Children born to women who ingested tetracycline during pregnancy often have permanently stained teeth. Tetracycline staining may come in definite unsightly bands on the teeth.
A desire among the populace for bright white teeth has increased as economic stature and standards of living have improved. In developing and developed nations, social standing, personal relations and career opportunities can be positively or negatively influenced by the appearance of one's teeth. Generally, it is preferred to have white teeth rather than to have dark teeth. Since whiter teeth are generally more desirable, many materials have been devised to whiten an individual's teeth by chemical means.
The most commonly accepted chemicals used in teeth whitening today are peroxides. Peroxides are known in the art as oxidizing agents and are highly reactive. Organic molecules that reflect specific wavelengths of light back to our eyes are usually very complex molecules. We usually call these colorful substances dyes and pigments. Oxidation of these organic dyes and pigments usually destroys their ability to absorb light and therefore renders them white. For example, the paper industry uses hydrogen peroxide to bleach brown wood pulp to white wood pulp.
Peroxides are preferred as a teeth whitener, because they are generally deemed safe from a physiological standpoint as compared to other oxidizing agents. The peroxides of choice for teeth whitening are: hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide, sodium perborate, and sodium percarbonate. When these peroxides are in appropriate contact with teeth they will usually oxidize both internal and external organic stains, rendering the teeth whiter. In contrast, inorganic stains are usually not effected by peroxides. Individuals with predisposed inorganic stains usually will not experience a whitening effect with the application of peroxides. However, the majority of the world's human population will experience a whitening effect through the application of peroxides to teeth.
Since the use of peroxides has been generally accepted for use in teeth whitening, a multitude of methods for applying peroxides have been devised. One method of application is to paint a peroxide in water solution directly on the teeth. A problem with water solutions of peroxides is that they are too thin or runny. This causes them to run off of the teeth due to the force of gravity and run onto the soft tissues of the mouth. High concentrations of peroxides are painfully irritating to soft tissue, causing serious discomfort to a patient. The method of painting a water solution of peroxide on a person's teeth is usually an “in-office” procedure, because of the inherent difficulties associated with patients applying it to their own teeth. In most cases the patients lips are painfully retracted during the entire treatment, and the patient is confined to sitting in the dental chair. The danger of the peroxide solution running off the teeth and contacting soft tissue is always present when peroxide and water bleaching solutions are used.
Patient comfort during the bleaching treatment may be improved by shortening the time of bleaching. In general there are three ways to bleach teeth faster. The first is to increase the concentration of the peroxide. The second is to increase the pH of the peroxide with a basic substance. Basic substances such as sodium hydroxide will destabalize peroxide solutions, therefore making the peroxide more reactive so that it carries out its whitening effect more quickly. The third way to bleach teeth more quickly is to speed up the reaction process by heating the peroxide solution. Heat accelerates almost all chemical reactions, including bleaching. In order to reduce bleaching treatment time, any one or combination of the above methods can be implemented or augmented.
There are physiological problems associated with speeding up the bleaching process, however. First, as peroxide concentration in the bleach is increased, the bleach is more irritating to soft tissues. Second, as the pH level is increased in the bleach, the bleach becomes more caustic to soft tissue. Third, as temperature of the bleach is increased, the bleaching process is more likely to burn soft tissue or even kill teeth.
The runniness of aqueous peroxide solutions and the problems associated with accelerating the bleaching process incentivized the dental care provider to isolate soft tissues from the dental bleach. This can be accomplished by methods known in the dental profession such as use of a rubber dam. First, the patients lips are painfully retracted, followed by placing a pre-punched rubber sheet or dam over each individual tooth. Placing a rubber dam on each tooth is slow and does not guarantee a perfect seal against leakage of the peroxide solution onto soft tissue. In order to satisfy patient demand for rapid and complete bleaching of teeth, the dental practitioner must increase risk to the patient by use of more concentrated bleaches. In order to treat teeth with a bleach that would essentially be non-irritating to soft tissues would take 2-5 full days of bleaching to see significant improvement in whitening. A patient would be very uncomfortable sitting in a dental chair with their cheeks retracted for that period of time, and the cost of such treatment would be prohibitive.
Recognition of these inherent problems associated with the “paint-on” method of bleaching with aqueous peroxides brought about significant improvements in the art of tooth bleaching. The improvements came by adding viscosity-building chemicals to the peroxide solutions. By increasing the viscosity of bleaching solutions, the ability of the bleach to flow, run or drip decreased. Substances such as glycerin, high molecular weight polyethylene glycol, fumed silica, high molecular weight polypropylene glycol, xanthan gum, hydroxy propyl cellulose and carbomer (marketed under the trade name CARBOPOL®), have generally been used to increase the viscosity of peroxide solutions.
In order to also reduce the detrimental effects of bleaching gels coming into contact with soft tissues, the pH of the peroxide solution was adjusted to around pH=7. When concentration of peroxide was reduced, patients were required to keep the bleaching gel in contact with their teeth for a longer period of time in order to achieve the desired whitening result. This consideration was addressed by use of a dental tray which holds the bleach in contact with teeth, but which prevents the bleach from flowing away from the teeth to contact soft tissues. Use of a dental tray permits the bleach to remain in intimate contact with teeth for long periods of time without requiring the patient to sit in a dental chair with retracted cheeks. When a dental tray is used to accommodate long periods of exposure of bleach to teeth, lower concentrations of peroxides in bleach may also be used, therefore reducing risk to soft tissue. A dental tray
JC Technologies, Inc.
McCarthy Daniel P.
Parsons Behle & Latimer
Rose Shep K.
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